It could be argued that Kevin Magnussen never stood an actual prospect of clinching a Formula 1 triumph. Throughout his nine seasons in F1, the Danish racer dedicated seven to the Haas squad, a team recognized for its modest resources, whereas his time as a sophomore was spent with Renault, an organization grappling as it transitioned back into the world championship.
Across 9,898 laps of racing, Magnussen never commanded the lead, though he did achieve a third-place finish in his debut F1 race, the 2014 Australian Grand Prix held in Melbourne, while competing for McLaren – he was subsequently elevated to second position following Daniel Ricciardo’s disqualification. Despite this, he trailed Nico Rosberg, the race victor, by a significant 26.777 seconds.
Kevin Magnussen, McLaren, sprays Champagne on the podium
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Sergio Perez might have drawn his career to a close boasting a tally of race victories akin to that of Jochen Rindt and Gilles Villeneuve, a feat partly attributed to his protracted and somewhat unsuccessful stint with Red Bull. However, his inaugural victory was a milestone long awaited, given that the bulk of his racing career was associated with Force India/Racing Point.
And what a debut win it proved to be. Perez, initially positioned third, was sent into a spin due to Charles Leclerc on the race’s first lap, relegating him to the very back of the pack. Astonishingly, he navigated his way back to the forefront – aided somewhat by strategic safety car deployments and a Mercedes blunder, which saw Lewis Hamilton’s substitute, George Russell, mistakenly fitted with tires intended for his teammate, Valtteri Bottas.
Sergio Perez, Racing Point RP20, 1st position, takes victory to the delight of his team on the pit wall
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Before this achievement, Perez’s primary accomplishment was with Sauber, where he challenged Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso for the win at the 2012 Malaysian GP.
Andrea de Cesaris – 208 GPs
Lamentably nicknamed “De Crasheris”, Andrea de Cesaris participated in 208 F1 races, discontinuing 147 of those – a count that encompasses at least 35 instances where he either collided with other competitors or lost control, veering off course.
Having raced for ten different teams throughout 15 seasons, de Cesaris secured pole position for the 1982 United States Grand Prix West while driving for Alfa Romeo, yet he was surpassed by Niki Lauda for the lead and eventually crashed.
Andrea de Cesaris, Alfa Romeo 182
Photo by: Sutton Images
Additionally, he seized the lead at the 1983 Belgian GP from third position on the starting grid, followed by Alain Prost and Patrick Tambay, yet his race was compromised by a sluggish pitstop, after which he retired due to mechanical issues.
Apart from this, de Cesaris secured five podium finishes, with his closest brush with victory occurring in that same 1983 season when he clinched second place at both Kyalami and Hockenheim, trailing Riccardo Patrese by nine seconds and Rene Arnoux by 1 minute and 11 seconds, respectively.
He also emerged as a viable contender for victory in the 1982 Monaco GP, a race infamous for its chaotic conclusion marked by four different leaders in the final four laps – a scenario that excludes de Cesaris, who depleted his fuel supply just as he was poised to seize a critical lead on the concluding lap.
Fernando Alonso – 214 GPs
The presence of a 32-time grand prix victor on this roster might seem unexpected, yet since his last triumph at the 2013 Spanish GP with Ferrari, securing that 33rd victory has proven elusive. Over the ensuing 12 years, Fernando Alonso has largely operated in the midfield with teams such as McLaren, Alpine, and Aston Martin, achieving occasional podium finishes – two with Ferrari in 2014, one with Alpine in 2021, and an impressive eight for Aston in 2023 – but never establishing himself as a genuine contender for victory.
Since 2013, Alonso’s most promising chance at victory arose at the 2014 Hungarian GP, where he led until the race’s third-to-last lap, fiercely competing with Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton for the win.
Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14T, leads Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid, and Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing RB10 Renault
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Following that race, Alonso has circled the F1 tracks for a notable 9,850 laps, holding the lead for only six.
Nico Hulkenberg may have eventually secured his first-ever F1 podium at the 239th attempt in this year’s British GP, but he still is recognized as the racer to have started the most consecutive grand prix events without seizing a victory.
Throughout his career with midfield teams, spanning from Williams to Sauber, which included Force India, Renault, and Haas, Hulkenberg’s quest for a win remained unfulfilled.
As a rookie, Hulkenberg surprisingly clinched pole position with Williams at the 2010 Brazilian GP, but was overtaken by both Red Bull drivers on the opening lap, ultimately concluding the race in eighth place.
